Significant Zero: Heroes, Villains, and the Fight for Art and Soul in Video Games

by Walt Williams Narrated by Kevin T. Collins

Overview

When his satirical musings in a college newspaper got him discharged from the Air Force, it became clear to Walt Williams that his destiny in life was to be a writer-he just never thought he'd end up writing video games, let alone working on some of the most successful franchises in the industry-Bioshock, Civilization, Borderlands, and Mafia, among others.



Williams pulls back the curtain on an astonishingly profitable industry that has put its stamp on pop culture and yet is little known to those outside its walls. In his reflective yet comically-observant voice, Williams walks you through his unlikely and at times inglorious rise within one of the world's top gaming companies, exposing an industry abundant in brain power and out-sized egos, but struggling to stay innovative. Significant Zero also provides clear-eyed criticism of the industry's addiction to violence and explains how the role of the narrative designer-the poor soul responsible for harmonizing gameplay with storylines-is crucial for expanding the scope of video games into more immersive and emotional experiences.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A compelling look into a world that doesn't like to spill its secrets to outsiders . . . . [Significant Zero] has a bright Hero's Journey arc (complete with setbacks, small deaths) and the winning of boons through cleverness and combat.” (Jason Sheehan, NPR)

"Fascinating and compelling, Walt Williams’ memoir is an incredibly human account of what it takes to survive in today’s video game industry. Significant Zero is more than a tale of Williams’ hard-won wisdom but an inspired vision of a better future for games.” (Jane McGonigal, author of New York Times bestsellers Reality is Broken and SuperBetter)

"Prediction: What William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade was for aspiring filmmakers, Walt Williams's Significant Zero will be for aspiring video game developers. Williams is—somehow simultaneously—funny, rude, exasperating, and inspiring, and he describes the insider reality of game development better than anyone has yet. A tremendously entertaining book." (Tom Bissell, author of Extra Lives and Apostle)

"There is no one way to break into the AAA game industry. But, as Walt's hilarious and humble account shows, fumbling through it like a badly planned heist seems to work and makes for one hell of a read." (Janina Gavankar, musician, actress, “True Blood,” Far Cry 4, and lead of Star Wars Battlefront 2)

“Walt Williams finally brings to video games what Robert Evans' "The Kid Stays in the Picture" brought to film: A seminal book of vicious truths. Funny and unforgettable, Significant Zero unravels a highly secretive creative industry in ways PR professionals only have nightmares about." (Mitch Dyer, writer, Star Wars Battlefront II)

"Significant Zero demystifies the game publisher-developer relationship and puts a human face on the struggles of people working their way up from the bottom." (Dan Stapleton, executive editor, IGN)

"An entertaining and provocative look inside big-time video game development." (Kirkus)

"A dark, humorous look into video game publishing, essential for anyone interested in the gaming industry and an entertaining read." (Library Journal)

“Williams reveals the video-gaming industry in all its lucrative shine and questionable morality . . . . [and] provides a refreshing and realistic portrayal of succeeding at attaining a dream via an unforeseen career trajectory.” (Booklist)

From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY

"An entertaining and provocative look inside big-time video game development." —Kirkus

Dan Stapleton

"Significant Zero demystifies the game publisher-developer relationship and puts a human face on the struggles of people working their way up from the bottom."

Mitch Dyer

Walt Williams finally brings to video games what Robert Evans' "The Kid Stays in the Picture" brought to film: A seminal book of vicious truths. Funny and unforgettable, Significant Zero unravels a highly secretive creative industry in ways PR professionals only have nightmares about."

Janina Gavankar

"There is no one way to break into the AAA game industry. But, as Walt's hilarious and humble account shows, fumbling through it like a badly planned heist seems to work and makes for one hell of a read."—

Tom Bissell

"Prediction: What William Goldman's Adventures in the Screen Trade was for aspiring filmmakers, Walt Williams's Significant Zero will be for aspiring video game developers. Williams is—somehow simultaneously—funny, rude, exasperating, and inspiring, and he describes the insider reality of game development better than anyone has yet. A tremendously entertaining book."

Jane McGonigal

"Fascinating and compelling, Walt Williams’ memoir is an incredibly human account of what it takes to survive in today’s video game industry. Significant Zero is more than a tale of Williams’ hard-won wisdom but an inspired vision of a better future for games.

Library Journal

07/01/2017
Video-game writer Williams earned his acclaimed reputation for games such as Bioshock, Borderlands 2, and Spec Ops: The Line. In this mostly memoir, part meditation on what video games can be, he begins and ends with the Fox, his boss at 2K Games and an important, benevolent figure in this tale. With energy and wit, the author recounts his stumbling first interview with the Fox, his upward climb from office grunt to trusted writer, and the various characters whom he encountered along the way. The physical and mental stressors of the job emerge organically in the telling, and without a trace of self-pity, even when it becomes clear that, for Williams, the work is like an addictive drug. His gift for profane turns of phrase and wacky metaphor combine hysterically throughout. There is a lack of self-awareness and a shortage of personal details, but that's the point. Williams merged with his role to an unhealthy degree, and shifting the focus would be dishonest. VERDICT A dark, humorous look into video game publishing, essential for anyone interested in the gaming industry and an entertaining read.—Paul Stenis, Pepperdine Univ. Lib., Malibu, CA

NOVEMBER 2017 - AudioFile

Narrator Kevin Collins gives listeners a bird’s-eye view of professional life in the video game industry. The account is written by someone who happened to fall into it and now works some of the hottest games released annually. Collins makes for a complicated narrator in this production. His soft, wry delivery fits well with Williams's deadpan jokes and commentary on annoying bosses, lame industry practices, and quirky video game culture, but it can also feel condescending and tiresome to listen to when the content is describing interesting details about how games are created. While listeners will enjoy learning about the technical details behind creating their favorite video games, they may grow tired of Collins’s condescending tone. L.E. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2017-07-03
Looking back on the decade he spent helping to create some of the most memorable titles in video gaming history, Williams comes clean on scripted violence, workplace politics, situational morality, and the deleterious effects of little sleep and a junk-food diet.In 2013, the outrageous "Grand Theft Auto V" earned $1 billion in just three days after its release. Such huge profits often demand teams of creators sacrifice their souls on the altar of the gaming gods. Louisiana-born Williams did just that as a brash 20-something short on cash but long on dreams of making it as a writer in New York City. After Marvel Comics shut the door in his face, he managed to cultivate a few old college ties into an interview with the burgeoning 2K Games. Both acerbic and witty, the author not only charmed his way into a professional gig playing video games; he also earned the respect of "The Fox," the legendary 2K honcho who would consistently elevate Williams inside the gaming industry's arcane hierarchy. The author was also able to survive the "Crunch," or single-minded, all-consuming focus needed to bring top-notch video games like "Spec Ops: The Line" to market. The work drove him to confront conflicting personalities and thorny morality questions head-on in a quest to deliver the kinds of immersive video games fans love to play. "Whatever it takes to make you feel something, we'll do it," writes Williams. "But that's not always enough. Sometimes, to get your blood pumping, we have to let you decide how far you're willing to go." In the case of "GTA V," that means "running over civilians with a car, shooting police officers, sleeping with prostitutes and then killing them to get their money back." But the author is completely fine with all of that and more, and in this bitingly acrid chronicle, he explains why. An entertaining and provocative look inside big-time video game development.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170956685
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	09/19/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

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